Work Health and Safety

HSR Course - Health and Safety Representative Queensland - 5 Day Initial

About the Course

HSR Training - Health and Safety Representative Training - Workplace Health and Safety Queensland

The 5-day Health and Safety Representative (HSR) course provides participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to fulfil their role as a HSR in Queensland.

Newly appointed HSR’s (from 29 July 2024 onwards) must complete their training within 28 days of their election (the previous period was 3 months).

If a worker chooses not to undertake the training within the time period, they will no longer be eligible to fulfil the role of HSR and will need to be replaced.

WorkSafe Connect has been delivering workplace health and safety training for over 15 years and is one of Queensland’s leading suppliers of HSR training courses. We offer this program in Townsville, Brisbane and Onsite and focus on delivering engaging and practical training.

Who Should Attend

This course is for newly elected Health and Safety Representatives (HSR's) in Queensland who are required to complete mandatory training within 28 days of their election. It provides the knowledge and skills needed to fulfil the role of a HSR in line with WHSQ requirements.

CSQ Funding

You may be eligible to receive CSQ funding for this course if you work in the building & construction industry in Queensland.

If eligible, you will receive funding of $589.00, which means an out of pocket expense of $306.00.

For further details, please click here or get in touch with us.

Course Description

The role of the Health and Safety Representative (HSR) is primarily to liaise with other staff to identify health and safety issues and convey these to management. HSRs are elected by fellow staff to represent the views of the staff group.

Health and Safety Representative training is delivered over 5 days and course topics include:

Overview of the WHS legislative framework
Duties of various parties
Key WHS terminology
The role of WHSQ and penalties for non‐compliance
Requirements and mechanisms for consultation in the workplace on work health and safety issues
The role, entitlements and protections available for HSRs and Health and Safety Committees (HSCs)
Resolving workplace health and safety issues through negotiation and conflict resolution
Identifying hazards and ways in which they can be eliminated or minimised
Incident notification and investigation
Issuing Provisional Improvement Notices (PINs) and directing unsafe work to cease.

Course Delivery Options

Training will be conducted by one of our experienced trainer assessors who have WHS industry currency, strong knowledge of relevant legislation, regulations and industry standards.

All assessments in this course are open book and students will have access to all learning materials such as legislation, codes of practice and student notes.

WorkSafe Connect is able to offer this course:

Face to Face – Public Courses (Brisbane and Townsville)
Face to Face – Onsite (at your site / workplace)
Virtual – Video – Led Instructor Based Training (live)
Staggered delivery options – to better suit your work schedule requirements (e.g. 3 days one week and 2 days the next week)

If you would like to discuss delivery options in more detail, then please get in contact with us.

Accreditation

Successful participants will receive a Workplace Health and Safety Queensland Health and Safety Representative Training Certificate. This certificate is issued by WorkSafe Connect (RTO 31385) in our capacity as an approved provider of this course on behalf of the Queensland Government (Workplace Health and Safety Queensland).

WorkSafe Connect offers both the full HSR course which requires 5 days of training as well as a HSR refresher course which takes 1 day of training.

If you have any questions regarding which Health and Safety Representative course is most suitable for you then please get in touch with a member of the WorkSafe Connect team today.

Certificate delivery:

Courses at our facilities: Certificates are issued on the day, with digital copies emailed to participants and employers (if applicable) the following business day.
Courses at client sites: Certificates are issued within 7 business days, with digital copies emailed to participants and employers.

Course Entry Requirements

If any additional learning support is required (e.g. with language, literacy or numeracy), please notify our Operations team prior to the course or speak with your trainer on the day —we’re here to help.

What to Bring

Your USI (Unique Student Identifier) – click here for more info
Comfortable, practical clothing is recommended (long pants or shorts and a sleeved shirt or t-shirt).
No PPE/high-vis required
Closed-in shoes
All course materials are provided

Amenities at our Brisbane and Townsville Facilities

Parking available on-site or nearby
Complimentary tea, coffee, biscuits, and mints
Fridge and microwave available for use
Cafés and food options located nearby for breaks

How long is a HSR course valid for in Queensland?

12 months.

From 29 July 2024 onwards, existing HSRs must now complete HSR refresher training every 12 months after the initial training (the previous period was every 3 years).

We have sought clarification from WHSQ regarding the new 12-month refresher requirement – if you are a current HSR and it has been more than 12 months since your last HSR course (initial or refresher), you should complete the 1-day refresher program as soon as practicable.

Do I have to refresh my HSR Training?

Yes.

Existing HSRs must now complete HSR refresher training every 12 months after the initial training (the previous period was every 3 years).

We have sought clarification from WHSQ regarding the new 12-month refresher requirement – if you are a current HSR and it has been more than 12 months since your last HSR course (initial or refresher), you should complete the 1-day refresher program as soon as practicable.

Is HSR training mandatory?

What is the role of a Health and Safety Representative (HSR)?

What are the powers and functions of a health and safety representative?

The role of a HSR is generally limited to their own work group unless:

there is a serious risk to health or safety (created by an immediate hazard) affecting workers from another work group
a worker in another work group asks for the HSR's assistance, and the HSR for that other work group is found to be unavailable.

An elected HSR is entitled to perform the following tasks for the work group:

undertake workplace inspections
review the circumstances of workplace incidents
accompany a WHSQ inspector during an inspection
represent the work group in health and safety matters
attend an interview about health and safety matters with a worker from the work group (with the consent of the worker)
request that a health and safety committee be established
participate in a health and safety committee
monitor compliance measures
investigate work health and safety complaints from work group members
inquire into any risk to the health and safety of workers in the work group
issue provisional improvement notices and direct a worker to cease unsafe work (where the HSR has completed the approved training).

A HSR is not personally liable for anything done, or not done, in good faith while carrying out their role. However any person adversely affected by a decision or action of a HSR can apply to the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission to have them disqualified.